Grady Travis

Grady "Coon-Ass" Travis (died April 1945) was a Private First Class in the US Army who served as a tank driver in the US 2nd Armored Division during World War II.

Biography
Grady Travis was born in north Georgia, United States, and he enlisted in the US Army during World War II. Travis served as the driver of the M4 Sherman tank Fury under Don Collier, and he became known for his vulgarity and barbarity, acquired as the result of his experience in combat in North Africa, France, Belgium, and Germany. In April 1945, after the US 2nd Armored Division captured the town of Kirchohsen, Travis abused two German women who had befriended Collier and the new bow gunner Norman Ellison, spitting on Ellison's German lover's food and touching her. Collier, who was serious about protecting the two German women, threatened to kick in the teeth of anyone who touched them. Travis would shove Ellison out of the building as the soldiers left, interrupting his goodbye to the young German girl. Travis later shoved him away and verbally abused him after Ellison saw that the girl had been killed in a German artillery bombardment, asking him if he was Jesus, and if he could resurrect her. Travis was cruel to Ellison, but he later apologized to him when they reached Hagenohsen, telling Ellison that he was a good man. The crew then took part in the tank's last stand at the Battle of Hagenohsen in April 1945, and Travis was killed when a Panzerfaust missile tore through the tank and shot right through Travis' chest.